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Serve Others

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

God created you to serve, not to be served.

Both the sheep and goats claimed Jesus as their Lord.

Zoo, goats kept chewing on my clothes.

A person with a servant’s heart sometimes is unaware of his good deeds, while someone without a servant’s heart exaggerates their good deeds.

The person who is truly born again, lives as a servant because God has poured out his love in their hearts. (Rom 5:5)

You don’t earn salvation, you only can display it as service to others.

Jesus appeared to me in a nursing home.

Jesus story is meant to spur us to getting out of our comfort zone and helping others.

Luke 22:26-27

26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

Only slaves washed feet. Yet Jesus took a towel and washed their feet, while they discussed who was the greatest.

Story of NFL football player who says he is most happiest serving as an usher in his church.

Usher party asked us to go. Sonia asked what she could bring.

People often feel a sense of entitlement.

Ministers can be this way too. Requirements: certain sum of money, two first class tickets, certain types of food, luxury rental car, gym membership.

Stole. Towel.

Matt 6:2-4

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

A true giver does not look for the applause of men, but the applause of heaven.

Missionary that left the mission field after 50 years of service. Got off the boat with President Roosevelt. page 145. You are not home yet.

Secret Santa. Gives out 100, but will not reveal his identity.

Matt 10:41-42

41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

Receive people for “who” they are not for “what” they have.

Story of Billionaire who owned 9 billion. He built a huge retreat and every year he would invite ministers around the world for a free week. Story of couple that showed up and he checked them in and carried their bags. Tip, $5. Page 134.

Cold water to one of these little ones. Children were everything to Jesus. Children were considered property, not full citizens. Children are powerful, poor and cannot give back. Cold water is the least expensive item, yet the person who gives it will get a reward.

Look at serving in little ways:

Baby-sit

Give rides

Make a meal for someone struggling

Encourage someone

Give money

Volunteer

Testify

Visit the hospital

Start a prayer meeting or Bible study

Fix someone’s house

Mow the lawn

Coach

Pray for someone

Story of stroke victim in a wheel chair that wanted to get baptize. Stranger took him. page 142.

Luke 5:18-20

18 Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

The moment you volunteer to serve others, you will face obstacles.

Baby-sit, baby from hell. picture of baby from hell.

Give ride to someone and they haven’t taken a bath.

Make a meal and they are not home.

Volunteer at church, and now you are asked to do more.

Mow the Lawn and break the sprinkler.

Coach, have mean parents.

Wash feet, then they have fungus, they need order eaters.

Start at home.

Uncle, love him, treated me like his son, would give the shirt off his back to a stranger, but one flaw, he wouldn’t do it for his wife and kids.

How to serve your spouse?

Give them an encouraging word

Get up early and get the kids dressed for school

“I’m going to the kitchen, can I get you something?’

Take a break, I’ll help the kids with their homework.

Stay in bed, I’ll change the baby’s diaper.

You are never too big to serve. Live to serve others. Lift others and God will lift you.